Tips for attracting Twitter followers

WASHINGTON – Justin Bieber still leads the pack when it comes to Twitter followers, with more than 39 million. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, President Obama and Rihanna round out the top five, according to the website Twitaholic. But you don’t have to be a celebrity to get more followers.

In the first study of its kind, researchers at Georgia Tech University evaluated a half-million tweets over 15 months and came up with tactics that can bump up your Twitter popularity.

First off, it’s not all about you: While people talked about themselves in 41 percent of the tweets studied, the researchers found that tweets full of information attract 30 times more followers than self-centered notes.

Second, keep it positive. Most users don’t personally know the people they follow, so negative news about your life is a turn-off.

Finally, hashtags may be everywhere, but the study found that high “hashtag ratios” mean fewer followers.